U.S. patent number 5,033,898 [Application Number 07/512,483] was granted by the patent office on 1991-07-23 for toothbrush with sponge flow control.
Invention is credited to Curtis C. Williams.
United States Patent |
5,033,898 |
Williams |
July 23, 1991 |
Toothbrush with sponge flow control
Abstract
A toothbrush having a self-contained supply of cleaning liquid.
Multiple miniature liquid flow openings are formed in the brush
holder portion of the toothbrush, such that the cleaning liquid is
distributed onto essentially all of the brush clusters. In one form
of the invention liquid flow is restricted by porous sponge
elements extending across the flow openings. In another form of the
invention the multiple flow openings are of pinhole size in order
to restrict the liquid flow.
Inventors: |
Williams; Curtis C. (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Family
ID: |
24039294 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/512,483 |
Filed: |
April 23, 1990 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
401/283; 401/186;
401/280; 401/287 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B
11/0072 (20130101); A46B 2200/1066 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A46B
11/00 (20060101); A46B 011/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;401/183,184,186,268,271,280,283,287 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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266385 |
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Nov 1968 |
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AT |
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2526710 |
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Dec 1976 |
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DE |
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2816557 |
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Nov 1978 |
|
DE |
|
3033295 |
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Mar 1982 |
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DE |
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2941217 |
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Apr 1982 |
|
DE |
|
2357204 |
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Mar 1978 |
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FR |
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2070922 |
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Sep 1981 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Bratlie; Steven A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Arnhem; Erik M.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toothbrush comprising an elongated flexible walled liquid
container having an externally threaded discharge neck structure at
one end thereof, said liquid container forming a handle for the
toothbrush; an elongated bristle holder means having an internally
threaded socket at one end thereof adapted to screw onto said
externally threaded discharge neck structure; bristles extending
from said holder means remote from said threaded socket; said
bristles being arranged in multiple rows of bristle clusters with
vacant spaces between the rows, and with vacant spaces between the
clusters in each row; said rows of bristle clusters extending
parallel to each other along the longitudinal dimension of the
elongated bristle holder means; liquid passage means extending
witin said bristle holder means from said internally threaded
socket to a point in registry with the bristles; said liquid
passage means comprising a plural number of straight slots (22)
extending through the bristle holder means wall into communication
with the vacant spaces between the rows of bristle clusters; each
slot forming an elongated rectangular liquid opening having a
length that is substantially the same as the length of each row of
bristle clusters; each slot opening being located midway between
adjacent rows of bristle clusters, with each slot opening having
two rows of bristle clusters extending therealong and a porous
sponge strip filling the space within each slot opening so that
liquid is required to pass through each sponge in order to reach
the vacant spaces between the rows of bristle clusters.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a toothbrush having a self-contained
supply of teeth cleaning fluid. The handle of the toothbrush is
constructed as an elongated flexible walled liquid container. An
elongated bristle holder means extends longitudinally from the
liquid container. A liquid passage means extends from the container
within the bristle holder means to supply liquid to a multiplicity
of small flow openings located between spaced clusters of bristles.
When a manual squeezing force is exerted on the flexible walled
container liquid is forced out of the multiple flow openings into
the vacant spaces between the bristle clusters.
It is contemplated that there will be a relatively large number of
liquid flow openings in the bristle area, e.g. thirty or more flow
openings. Substantially all of the bristle clusters will be
subjected to a liquid wetting action, such that the bristles will
have an optimum teeth cleaning action.
The broad concept of a toothbrush equipped with a self-contained
supply of teeth cleaning fluid is already known. Applicant is aware
of the following U.S. patents disclosing the broad concept: U.S.
Pat. No. 818,000 to C. Stevenson; U.S. Pat. No. 973,865 to J. Hitz;
U.S. Pat. No. 1,610,831 to A. Wallace; U.S. Pat. No. 1,780.066 to
T. Christian; U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,758 to C. French; U.S. Pat. No.
2,743,042 to L. Burgin; U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,888 to Buelow et al;
and U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,635 to K. Kim.
Most of the patented devices appear to use paste-type cleaning
fluids, not liquid cleaning fluids. Most of the patented devices
have a single paste discharge opening communicating with the
bristles. The present invention contemplates a device having a
large multiplicity of flow openings for discharging liquid cleaner
material into the bristle space. The liquid can be conventional
mouthwash or a special liquid formulation designed for teeth
cleaning purposes.
The toothbrush can be used without water, such that persons are
enabled to clean their teeth at times and places when/where there
is no water available, e.g. in a car or at a campsite.
THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1, is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a toothbrush
embodying the invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken in the same
direction as FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a view taken in the same direction as FIG. 4, but
illustrating a structural variation that can be employed.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a second
embodiment of the invention, along line 6--6 in FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 in FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a toothbrush 10 that includes a handle
structure 12 and a bristle holder means 14. Handle structure 12
comprises an elongated flexible walled liquid container 16 having
an externally threaded discharge neck structure 17. Structure 17 is
a relatively thick annular wall such that it is rigid
(non-flexible). Container wall 19 is relatively thin and flexible;
it is formed of a plastic material having a memory, so that when
the container is squeezed it will deform inwardly but later return
to its initial configuration when the squeezing pressure is
removed. Container 16 is a conventional container structure
commonly used to store cosmetic lotions, sealants and other liquid
or semi-liquid materials. As shown in FIG. 2, the container has an
oval cross section, except that the container shoulder area near
neck structure 17 is circular.
Bristle holder means 14 includes an internally threaded socket 20
adapted to screw onto neck structure 17 to form a sealed connection
at the joint between container 16 and three passages 22 that extend
longitudinally through brush holder means 14. Passages 22 comprise
three separate hollow channels that extend between the anchored
sections of bristles 24. As seen in FIG. 3, there are four rows of
bristles (or clusters of bristles). As seen in FIG. 1, there are
ten clusters of bristles in each row. Each cluster of bristles may
contain twenty five or more individual bristles. Passages 22 extend
from socket 20 to a point approximately in line with the endmost
bristles 24. Three relatively narrow slot openings 26 extend
upwardly from passages 22 into communication with the vacant spaces
between the rows of bristle clusters; each slot opening 26 has a
length that substantially spans the length dimension of the bristle
cluster rows.
Each slot opening 26 is relatively narrow, e.g. only about 0.02
inch across. A porous sponge strip 27 extends within and along each
slot opening 26 for restricting liquid flow through the slot
opening. The restricting action is such that when the toothbrush is
in a normal unstressed condition (no squeezing force on container
16) there is no liquid flow through slot openings 26.
Handle structure 12 is designed to permit the user to firmly grip
the outer surface of socket 20 between the thumb and first finger.
The fingers will be curled around container wall 19, with the last
two fingers engaged against the relatively flat outer surface of
wall 19. When the last two fingers are squeezed against the
container wall the increased liquid pressure forces liquid through
the pores in sponge strips 27. The flow can be increased to a
certain extent by increasing the pressure exerted by the user's
last two fingers on container wall 19.
The three sponge strips 27 provide a multiplicity of small flow
openings spanning the zone occupied by the various bristle
clusters. The simultaneous liquid flows through the various flow
openings served to wet substantially all of the bristle clusters,
thereby promoting an effective and extensive teeth cleaning
action.
FIG. 5 fragmentarily shows a variant of the FIG. 4 arrangement,
wherein each slot opening 26 is replaced by a number of discrete
circular flow openings 29. FIG. 5 shows one such flow opening.
Additional flow openings are provided in front of, and behind, the
plane of the paper in FIG. 5. Typically there will be ten openings
29 in a row; there are three rows of openings arranged in parallel
as shown in FIG. 3. A porous sheet 31 is arranged on the face of
bristle holder means 14 to overlie the various openings 29. The
sponge sheet acts as a flow restrictor means.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another form that the invention can take.
In this case bristles 24 are anchored in an auxiliary slide section
32 that is slidably mounted on a main stem section 34 of the brush
holder means. A relatively flat rectangular cross-sectioned passage
36 extends longitudinally within main stem section 34 from socket
20 to a point below the endmost bristle cluster. Three rows of flow
ports 37 extend upwardly from passage 36 at spaced points
therealong.
Slide section 32 has three rows of small flow openings 39 extending
downwardly toward passage 36. These flow openings are arranged in
rows, with the in-row spacing and spacing between rows being
similar to the spacings of flow ports 37. Slide section 32 can be
manually moved along the face of main stem section 34 as indicated
by arrow 40, such that flow openings 39 are out of liquid
communication with ports 37; a detent rib 41 extends from slide
section 32 into a recess in the face of stem 34, to releasably
retain the slide section in its FIG. 6 position. The slide section
can however be manually moved leftwardly such that rib 41 enters
into a second recess 43 in stem section 34; when rib 41 snaps into
recess 43 the various flow openings 39 are in liquid communication
with flow ports 37.
Each flow opening 39 is preferably a circular opening of pin hole
size, e.g. about 0.01 inch in diameter. The vertical length of each
flow opening 39 is several times the hole diameter. For example,
each hole 39 can have a length of about 0.1 inch (ten times the
hole diameter). These hole dimensions enable the holes to exert a
restrictive action against liquid flow. Even when flow openings 39
are in communication with ports 37 there will be no liquid flow
through openings 39 until a manual squeeze force is applied on
container wall 19 (FIGS. 1 and 2).
Slide structure 32 will ordinarily be set in its FIG. 6, "closed"
position in order to prevent slow weeping of liquid through
openings 39 and/or to prevent liquid flow due to inadvertant
pressure on the liquid container, and/or to prevent residue
formations in the flow ports due to evaporation. Flow ports 37 can
be somewhat larger than openings 39 if desired, in order to ensure
alignment of all openings and ports when slide structure 32 is in
its open position.
Both illustrated forms of the invention provide multiple liquid
flows into the various vacant spaces between the bristle clusters,
thereby enabling substantially all of the various bristle clusters
to be subjected to a liquid wetting action. The drawings
necessarily show specific forms of the invention. However, it will
be appreciated that the invention can be practiced in other
forms.
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